Blasting the Himalayas

07.10.06: We left Meerut at 0600 hrs. and reached Bhaironghatti (40 kms. before Gangotri) at 2000 hrs. The only stop in between was at Haridwar, where the men had their dips at Brahma Kund and the ladies paid their respects by touching the water of Gangaji onto their heads. At around 1800 hrs, we were held up by blasting in the Uttarkashi-Bhaironghati stretch for 30 minutes. It was very strange and disquieting, in many ways, to be silent spectators to the Himalayas being blasted out for roads. When we started moving again, it was night.